Foldable seat for prepayment-cars



J. S. McWHIRTER.

FOLDABLE SEAT FOR PREPAYMENT CARS.

APPHCATlON FILED OCT-5.1915. RENEWED APR. 29, 1921.

1,395,757., Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

oriezronn s. mewnrnrnn,

on NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Application filed 0ctober 5, 1915, Serial No. 54,117. Renewed April 29, 1921. Serial No. 465,500.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. -h ioVVHntrnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Foldable Seats for Prepayment- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to foldable seats for cars of the prepayment type.

The object of the invention is to provide a foldable seat structure for use on prepayment type of cars which when extended may be employed as a seat for passengers.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawing,

' Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the seat structure embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view in section, taken on the line 5-5, Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 2.

The same part is designated by the same reference numerals wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

In the present types of fare prepayment cars, due to the construction of the platform portions thereof, a certain amount of seating space is lost. Generally, cars are made for double-end operation, '5. 6. either end may be made the front end of the car, and either end may be made the rear end with the conductors station, door control, etc., as is common with the well known prepayment car.

It is among the special purposes of my present invention to provide a foldable seat structure at both ends of the car which, when desired, may be extended to form additional seats thereon, and also, when desired, may be folded into minimum space at the conductors station for fare prepayment, door control, etc.

Referring to the drawings,

Reference numeral 10 designates the end or platform portion of a car, such as a street car, and in communication with the interior or body portion thereof indicated at 12. A vertically extending panel 14 of a narrow width relative to the width of the car, is positioned at any convenient point inside the side doors to constitute a conductors station. In the preferred form, to

which, however, my invention is not limited, 7

this barrier is positioned, at approximately the center of the car width, and on the platform adjacent to the car body, and extends to approximately one half of the height of the car body. Attached to the opposite edges of said panel are brackets 15 provided with pintles 16 which extend through for move ment in grooves 17 secured to the under surface and extending along the approximate projecting length of seat 18. The groove 17, be formed in any suitable way, and with anyi. suitable material, and I propose to also pass therethrough for movement therein a transverse rod 19. Supporting members 20 are pivotally attached at their respective ends to the rod 19 and to brackets 21 by means of the studs or bolts 22. The brackets 21 are secured to the vertical panel 14 in any suitable manner, such as by screws 23.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when a seat is in extended position, as shown on the car body portion side of the panel 14 which serves as the seat back, and as shown in Fig. 1, to fold the seat out of the way the seat is raised at its forward end by means of the handle indicated at 24 up against the side of the panel 14, due to the pivotal connection 22 and transverse rod 19 moving in the groove or slot 17. From this position, the seat is allowed to drop by gravity to its lowest position with the rod 19 coming into contact with the limit of the slot 17, as shown on the platform side of the panel 14, Fig. 1. thus effectively locking the seat in its folded, out of the way position. It will be seen that on cars equipped with a seat structure embodying my invention at both ends thereof, when one end is being employed as the motormans station, the seats on both sides of the panel 14 may be extended for use while one or both the seats at the conductors station may be folded in their out of the way position, the panel 14 serving as a dividing barrier forming the station for the conductor to collect fares upon the entrance of passengers into the car body as above explained.

If desired, and as shown, slots or brackets 30 may be provided on one or the other of the sides of the panel 14; to receive a fare box, fare register or the like.

In the construction shown it will be noted that the panels 1& are adjacent the car body 12, see Fig. 1. In this arrangement, the seat on the platform side of the panel 14 may be lower than the seat on the car body side of the panel, to allow for the proper height of the seat, when extended for use, and to prevent thelugs 15 from interfering with each other.

While I have shown and described in detail one arrangement for accomplishing the objects and purposes of my invention, it will be understood that many changes in details will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad scope of my invention as defined in the claims, and therefore I am not to be limited or restricted to the specific structures shown and described.

What I claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

In a seat structure, a rigid vertical panel forming a seat back, brackets secured to the side edges of said panel and provided with inwardly facing pins, a seat provided with slotted guideways on its under surface near its side edges, said pins beinglocated in the slots of said guideways, and supporting arms pivotally secured to the front face of said panel and slidably secured at their upper ends in said slotted guideways substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 30th day of September A. D., 1915.

JOHN s. MQWHIRTER. 

